BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2354
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Date of Hearing: May 5, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 2354 (V. Manuel Perez) - As Amended: April 13, 2010
Policy Committee: Health Vote:11-5
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill requires the California Department of Public Health,
in conjunction with the University of California, to conduct a
comprehensive assessment about the use of promotores (community
health educators) in supporting positive health outcomes.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires an examination of best practices in areas such as
recruitment, hiring, compensation, scope of work, program
design, implementation, and successful programs.
2)Requires an examination of federal, state, and local agencies
that rely on promotores.
3)Requires an examination of previous studies addressing
promotores model programs.
4)Requires the establishment of a technical advisory group.
5)Requires the Department of Public Health to use federal
funding to support the requirements of this bill.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)A one-time GF cost of $300,000 to $500,000 to the Department
of Public Health (DPH) to conduct the comprehensive assessment
in conjunction with the University of California (UC). These
costs reflect time, staffing, analysis, and travel for both
DPH and UC.
2)This bill requires DPH to rely on federal funding from the
federal Health and Human Services Department, the Health
AB 2354
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Resources Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control.
However the bill does not designate either the specific source
of such funding or the connection between the requirements of
this bill and the likely receipt of such funding.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . This bill requires a comprehensive assessment of
promotores, or community health educators who provide
culturally competent health education and provide improved
access to health services in underserved communities. This
bill increases information available about promotores and may
provide information to help California access federal funding
related to health reform.
2)Federal health reform , the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act (PL-111-148), contains several provisions aimed at
preventing disease and promoting healthy lifestyles, goals
well-aligned with promotores' work. A total of $15 billion
(federal) is contained in the reform legislation to support
efforts such as obesity reduction and chronic disease
management. Another provision of the federal legislation
provides Centers for Disease Control grants to promote
positive health behaviors and outcomes for populations in
medically underserved communities through the use of community
health workers. Information provided by AB 2354 may aid in
preparing California to access this grant funding.
3)Promotores are community health workers who provide health
information in a culturally competent manner, educate about
the health care system, and improve access to services.
Promotores live in the communities in which they work,
understand what is meaningful to their community, speak the
language of community members, and recognize and incorporate
traditional health practices.
4)Related Legislation . ACR 75 (V. Manuel Perez), Resolution
Chapter 125, Statutes of 2009 declared October 2009 as
California Promotores Month and encouraged policies and
programs that enhance the status and integration of promotores
in the delivery of health care.
AB 898 (Saldana) in 2007 required DPH to administer a three-year
pilot grant program to award grants to school health centers
to use a promotores model to provide nutrition education
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programs. AB 898 was held on the Suspense File of this
committee.
Analysis Prepared by : Mary Ader / APPR. / (916) 319-2081